Zhiyu Site is located at the eastern foot of Heituo Mountain, Shuozhou City, Shanxi Province, Since its discovery in 1963, a piece of human occipital bone has been unearthed, along with many animal bones and a large number of stone tools and relics. According to the measurement, it is about 28000 years ago, carrying the history and culture of ancient humans. Guo Moruo said in "The Beginning of Chinese History" that "Zhiyu Site has added new brilliance to the ancient history of China".
As a native of Shuozhou, I joined the army as a young man, and then transferred to the Xinhua News Agency. It's a pity that I didn't visit the country after many years of traveling abroad. Before the Tomb Sweeping Day, I was lucky to set foot on this land in the chilly spring to explore the past buried by years. Although it is April, there is still a bleak winter scenery outside the Great Wall. The grass and trees have not yet turned green, the land has not yet been sown, and the eye is filled with gray and yellow. Think in the future 28000 years ago, this season here is a scene full of green at this moment: the mountains are densely forested, the hills and shrubs are closed, the plains are lush with grass, the river is full of fish, and the wild horses are galloping in the distance. In my reverie of the vicissitudes of the past and present, I seem to have really felt the natural environment of the ancient Zhiyu people's life.
When I walked into the site, I seemed to travel through time and space to return to that remote era. Here, I saw a large number of stone tools, bone tools and decorations unearthed, all of which are witnesses to the life and labor of Zhiyu people. Stone tools, such as sharp tools, carving tools, scrapers, arrowheads, etc., show the superb craftsmanship of Shiyu people. The unearthed bones and decorations show that they have a preliminary aesthetic awareness. Many bone slices have engraved marks, which is probably the earliest counting symbol used by human beings before the invention of characters. It is particularly worth mentioning that the earliest stone arrowhead known to our country so far was found in the Shiyu site, indicating that the bow and arrow had been invented at that time. This is an unprecedented weapon, which is equivalent to the extension of the handle for tens of meters. It was the most powerful hunting tool at that time. Bows and arrows expanded the scope of hunting, improved the efficiency of hunting, and thus promoted the development of social productivity at that time.
On the section of the site, I saw two ash layers in the cultural layer, which is the direct evidence of the life traces of Shiyu people. Some of the bone fragments unearthed in the ash layer are carved with complex images, which is obviously a conscious bone carving work of Zhiyu people. These bone carvings are not only of artistic value, but also important materials for studying the living customs and cultural characteristics of Zhiyu people.
In addition, a large number of animal fossils were found in the site, including wild horses, wild donkeys, buffaloes, antelopes, etc. These fossils tell us that these animals were the main prey of Zhiyu people when they lived. It is worth mentioning that the people in Zhiyu hunt wild horses most, so they are also called "Horse hunter".
During the visit, I also learned that the social organization of Zhiyu people has entered the early stage of matriarchal clan commune. Their physical form is similar to that of modern people, but their living habits and cultural characteristics still retain the traces of primitive human beings.
Throughout the visit, I deeply felt the historical value and cultural connotation of Zhiyu Site. It is not only an important site to study the origin and development of the fine stone culture in North China, but also a precious window for us to understand the living habits and cultural characteristics of ancient humans.
Standing on the site of Zhiyu, I can hear the wind, water, wild horses and laughter of Zhiyu people in ancient times. Although the past events buried by years are gone, their traces and heritage will be forever engraved in the history of mankind.
Chi Maohua
